Interfax: Russia to react “immediately” if NATO increases strength in Europe – source

(Interfax – Moscow, June 26, 2015)

By “slightly pushing” Russia by increasing the alliance’s military presence in Europe, the USA and NATO are waging a “game of nerves” for now, however should any practical steps be taken towards an escalation near Russia’s western border, Moscow will respond without delay, a source in the military and diplomatic circles has told Interfax-AVN.

“So far the military rhetoric of Washington and capitals of European member states of NATO is a sort of the ‘political chess’ game, a ‘war of nerves’, and Russia has been playing its part more professionally,” the source said.

According to his estimate, the statements by the NATO leadership and US military officials on increasing the combat strength of the alliance’s rapid reaction force and stationing of heavy arms in Europe, including 250 tanks, howitzers and infantry fighting vehicles, are a “declaration of intent”.

“However it should be noted that it is one thing if the point in question is a declaration of intent without any consequences. However if NATO indeed builds up its military infrastructure close to Russia’s western border, response measures will follow immediately,” the source said.

He said that this would include “the implementation of a comprehensive plan consisting of both symmetric and not so symmetric measures.” “They, and that is very important, will not require big additional resources from the budget, like they expect in Washington,” he said.

Among the traditional ways of containing a potential aggressor, he named, in particular, “the colossal potential of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces”.

“If Western partners started using half-forgotten reasons and terms of the cold war era, let them remember what just one intercontinental ballistic missile [IBM] which reaches Pentagon can do. Compared to Soviet nuclear bombs which, as it was repeatedly said, could wipe the USA off the map several times a minute, the Yars and Bulava IBMs, which now form the foundation of the Russian nuclear triad, are a huge step forward in terms of combat capabilities,” he said.